Recovering from addiction is a long and difficult road. Chronic drug and alcohol use takes a toll on you both physically and mentally, and one of the hard parts of early sobriety is getting your body back into a healthy state.

A major (and often overlooked) physical cost of addiction is mineral deficiency. Using drugs and alcohol causes rapid depletion of the minerals your body needs to function properly. Over time, many addicts develop severe mineral deficiencies, which can be a larger barrier to recovery than you might expect.

The good news is that it’s easy to replenish your body’s mineral stores, and doing so will help you recover faster from the effects of drugs and alcohol.

Here’s a look at addiction-induced mineral depletion and the steps you can take to reverse it.

Drug and Alcohol Use Depletes Your Body’s Minerals

Most addictive substances have toxic effects on your cells. When you take a drug or drink alcohol, your body usually tries to break it down and remove it from your system as quickly as possible.

Several of those removal strategies involve minerals. As a result, regular drug or alcohol use depletes your body’s mineral stores, and over time those mineral deficiencies can become quite severe.

Drug-induced mineral depletion is so significant that researchers believe some of the common symptoms of addiction—including personality changes, muscle cramps, neuropathic pain, kidney and liver dysfunction, and increased impulsivity—may be due in part to mineral deficiencies. [*][*]

Several different classes of drugs deplete minerals in the body as they are metabolized, including alcohol, opiates, cannabis, and nicotine.

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol causes you to excrete magnesium 250% faster than normal, while at the same time making it harder for you to absorb magnesium from the food you eat. [*] As a result, alcoholism often causes severe, chronic magnesium depletion in the brain, bones, spinal cord, and intracellular fluid. [*]

Regular drinking also depletes phosphate, calcium, and potassium, which can interfere with thyroid function and cause mood disturbances. [*] The researchers note that mineral deficiencies are present in most people who struggle with alcoholism, but are particularly severe in drinkers who experience alcohol-induced vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis.

Opiates

Opiate use depletes calcium and magnesium as well, and studies show that long-term opiate users—those with more than two years of continuous use—are often low in zinc, iron, and chromium, too. [*]

In a 2014 review, researchers suggested prescribing all of the above minerals to patients detoxing from opiates, to ease withdrawal symptoms and help the body recover normal brain and organ function. [*]

Cannabis

A 2017 study found that heavy cannabis use led to decreased mineral bone density and increased risk of fractures. Users were low in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. [*]

Cigarettes

A 2021 study found that smokers are more likely to have calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine deficiencies. [*]

Cigarette smoking also depletes selenium, which your body releases as a defense mechanism to protect your cells from the damage caused by nicotine and carcinogens in cigarette smoke. [*]

In short, addiction can cause severe mineral deficiencies, and chronic low mineral stores may even contribute to the side effects and damage caused by drugs and alcohol.

Replenishing Minerals Helps the Body Recover from Addiction

The good news is that restoring your body’s mineral balance can help you recover from addiction faster. Amazingly, refilling your mineral stores can also repair much of the damage caused by drugs or alcohol.

A 2017 review found that correcting mineral deficiencies made it easier for people to maintain sobriety and recover their health. [*]

Similarly, a 2011 review found that minerals decreased intensity of drug cravings and improved recovery outcomes in people addicted to opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine. [*]

Another 2017 study found that nutritional support therapy—giving newly sober people high doses of essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals—made them significantly more likely to recover from drug and alcohol addiction, as well as food addiction, internet addiction, and sex addiction. [*]

Finally, a 2021 study found that minerals and other nutrients were effective at preventing relapse and improving mental health during early recovery. [*]

A Simple Way to Refill Your Mineral Stores

Minerals can make a big difference in recovery. They’re a valuable tool for helping both your body and mind bounce back from addiction. But how can you get started? MIneral supplementation can be confusing and overwhelming, both of which are the the last things you need when you are in recovery.

At BEAM Minerals, we’ve made mineral replenishment easy. Our full-spectrum mineral supplements contain every mineral your body needs, in the right ratios, with close to 100% absorbability.

That means you can replenish all your body’s mineral stores in 30 seconds a day. All you do is take a one-ounce shot of liquid in the morning (don’t worry. It tastes like water). It’s faster, more affordable, and easier than keeping a cabinet full of mineral supplements, with a bunch of different doses.

If you’re looking for a simple way to support your recovery, give BEAM Minerals a try. Mineral depletion is one of the hidden physical costs of addiction, and you may be surprised by how much better you feel when your body has the minerals it needs.